Bane of an Alpha
by Junesong55thunder
Summary: After what Peter Hale did to Scott, what will it take for Scott, Derek, and the others to bring down the alpha? What will they be left with once it's all over? If it ever ends...? A/N-This is the sequel to my story 'An Alpha's Pack.' Please enjoy and leave a review! Author's note inside.
1. Ghosts

**A/N: This fic is the sequel to 'An Alpha's Pack.' **The end of that story was cut shorter in order to incorporate my new ideas for its sequel. You might recognize some things in the first couple chapters, but even those have been changed, and beyond that, all will be shiny and new. Thank you my loves. **Enjoy!**

**Chapter One**

**"Ghosts"**

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"Hand me the binoculars. I think I see something."

"What did you see?"

"Hand them over."

"I don't think they're going anywhere soon, Jimmy," said William Cole as he handed a small pair of binoculars to his younger brother. "You didn't see the state of the beta."

"Don't call me Jimmy," retorted the twenty-six-year-old James. "Werewolves heal fast. And please be quiet..." He crouched low on the top of a hill, one of several that bordered Beacon Hills to the south. From there, he could see the busiest streets and the town businesses, including Dr. Alan Deaton's animal clinic.

Beside him, Will shifted position. "Not that fast," he argued under his breath.

With a frown of concentration, James raised the binoculars to his eyes and gazed down toward the clinic.

Will said nothing more. He was restless; too restless for this job. Chris Argent should have had them on the trail of that alpha, but he had sent them on a stake-out.

Will didn't take kindly to being treated that way. Hadn't he proven himself to be worthy of the group? How many werewolves had he killed just to show them it was true? Too many to count.

But all he got from that self-righteous Argent bastard were more rules, more codes, and more bullshit.

Something caught Will's eye in the brightly lit square below. A dark shape had moved in the otherwise silent alleyway between the animal clinic and a neighboring law office. Will glanced at James. His brother's attention was focused on the parking lot, so he wouldn't have seen.

"James," he hissed quietly. "The street - near the corner."

James turned his head, searching the shadowy space between buildings. A moment later, he saw it too.

Someone was moving through the narrow alley. The form was crouched low to the ground, clad in a dark jacket and stained jeans. It was a young, limber male with dark hair and caramel skin.

James watched the boy through his binoculars. "It's the second one," he murmured.

"Are you sure?"

James gave a short nod. "Yeah. It's him."

Will's eyes lit up. He grinned expectantly as he reached for his radio. "Argent. Come in, Argent. Do you copy?"

There was a moment of silence before Chris's voice crackled through the radio. "Go."

"Yeah, this is Cole on the hill. The McCall kid's making a run for it. He's headed back to the forest."

Static crackled. "Anyone else with him?" Came Chris's voice again.

James squinted through the binoculars again. The boy was travelling by alleyways and back yards toward the edge of town. He showed no sign of injury, and he was alone. James shook his head to William.

"That's a negative, sir," said Will into the radio. "He's by himself."

There was a slightly longer pause as the radio crackled statically.

"Alright," answered Chris's low voice, sounding strained. "Don't follow him. Stay there, and keep an eye on the clinic. If Derek Hale tries to leave you let me know right away, you copy?"

Will ground his teeth so loudly that James gave him a quizzical look. A long moment passed, and Will still hadn't replied.

"Cole. Is that a copy?"

Will raised the radio again and ran a hand over his face. "You sure you want to lose the second beta?"

When Chris replied, his voice was stern and full of warning. "Do not follow him, Cole. That's an order."

After another moment, Will nodded his head slowly. "Copy that," he said gruffly, then lowered the radio and stood up. He stuffed the radio into the back pocket of his jeans.

James took his eyes off the beta and twisted around to look at Will. "What are you doing?"

"What the hell do you think?" Will cuffed James on the top of the head. "Get up, Jimmy. We're not letting that beta get away. It's like Kate said - they have the information we need, and probably more on top of that."

"But... you said to Argent - "

"I don't care what I said. I'm done with this nursery bullshit. How long can he keep us out if we keep bringing him what he's looking for?"

James looked doubtful and he didn't stand. He regarded Will silently.

"Get up," repeated Will roughly. He reached down and hoisted James to his feet by the shoulder of his jacket. "You're gonna have to grow a spine, little brother. One of these days, you'll have to." Will grinned savagely, adjusting the gun strap on his brother's shoulder. "Let's face the music."

**.**

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**.**

Scott McCall wasn't thinking like his usual self. He was stuck somewhere between werewolf instincts and blinding anger.

Adrenaline had burned away any sense of weakness from his healing body, making him stronger and faster. He sprinted along the side of the long, rural road to the Preserve, and darted into the woods the first chance he got. His bare feet made barely any noise in the twigs and dead leaves as he propelled over rocks and large tree roots, heading deeper into the woods.

A crow cawed a warning. Others quickly joined it, and their loud protests made Scott cringe furiously. All his senses felt stronger than usual.

He leaped over a small creek and landed on the other side on all fours. He stayed on all fours after that, and loped through the thick woods with the speed and ease of a wolf.

Soon he came upon the dirt road to Derek's house. He crossed it, then turned and ran alongside it. He stayed slightly behind the tree line and out of sight.

Something ahead caught Scott's attention, making him pause. He slowed down and raised himself to two legs.

There were vehicles in a clearing off the road. Three black SUV's were parked in a defensive triangular pattern. Scott could hear voices issuing from their midst.

He recognized the voice of Allison's father. Without making a sound, Scott watched and listened from behind a large tree trunk.

"..._let's move now. The plan is fresh in our minds, and we know the alpha is still nearby._" That was Allison's father.

There were murmurs of assent from others, and Scott counted six or seven individual voices.

Someone else spoke up. "_We have a chance not to screw this thing up. The Cole brothers aren't here to rain on our parade, so let's do us proud._"

"_Will Cole is reckless. We're wise to keep him out of this one._"

"_Wish your sister was here, though._"

For a moment no sound reached Scott's ears. Then he heard the distant voice of Chris Argent again. "_My sister can be reckless, too. I'm confident in this group right here. We know what we're doing, and we have what we need. That includes the people."_

**.**

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**.**

"I'll be faster than any of you," growled Derek Hale, shoving Stiles back by the shoulder. Stiles had been trying to pull Derek into Deaton's car.

"We need you!" Said Stiles loudly. "Scott needs you!"

Derek squared up to Stiles, who quavered slightly and then feigned disinterest as a coping mechanism. Derek was a big guy. He was a werewolf. His nose was a mere inch from Stiles' face.

"You can't go far off-road in that four-door," said Derek, dangerously quiet. "You won't be able to keep up with me on foot. I have to go. Now, alone."

Stiles' rubbed the side of his head and backed off a few steps, still pretending not to be intimidated. "Alright, yeah - yep. Sure thing... buddy..."

Alan Deaton stepped forward. His tone and demeanor were much calmer and more collected than either of the others. "You're still recovering, Derek. Scott will be recovering for quite some time. God knows what made him think he could face an alpha in that state. He's running on anger. But you can't run on pure anger, Derek. You have to be the rational one."

There was a blaze of displeasure in Derek's eyes. "I know. I am rational. If Scott finds my uncle, I know what I have to do."

"And that is?" Asked Deaton calmly.

Derek stared at him for a moment without saying anything. In that moment, his pale eyes were a roiling fury of mixed emotions.

Deaton could see it. "Derek..."

Derek growled. "What I have to do is go." He sent a last glance in Stiles direction. "Don't do anything stupid." Derek hesitated a moment, then turned on his heel and took off running.

Deaton watched Derek's leather-clad back until the young man disappeared around the corner. He exhaled slowly. "Help Scott," he whispered.

**.**

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**.**

The Cole brothers rocketed through the forest, swerving deftly from tree to tree to find a clear path.

James kicked his bike into fourth gear and jetted through a clearing. Beside him, Will sped up too.

They grinned at each other. For a moment this wasn't a hunt. Instead, it was a summer afternoon back home in Kentucky, and this was a mud race.

Ahead was a small creek. The brothers nodded to each other, and then revved forward with a burst of speed. They jumped their bikes across the creek and landed pell-mell, dirt flying from their back tires. They yanked the bikes back into balance, huge smiles on both their faces.

"James, look there," said Will suddenly, slowing to a stop.

James clenched the brake and backed up a few meters. His eyes followed where Will was pointing.

There was a large, distinct print in a muddy patch of forest floor; it displayed what must have been large, sharp claws, and a massive palm. James recognized the track of a werewolf without a second's hesitation.

"You reckon that's the alpha or the beta?" Grunted Will.

James got off his bike and kneeled down beside the foot print. He touched the sides of it with his fingers, then looked up at Will. "It's the alpha. The betas can't shift that far yet."

Will made another grunting sound, then gestured to James. "Alright. Get back on. Let's see where they lead."

"What, you want to follow the alpha now?" Said James with a frown as he walked back over to his bike. "We were after the beta. Argent said the alpha is more than even he can handle alone."

Will fixed James with a condescending stare. "What did you think would happen if we came across alpha tracks?"

James shook his head, unmoved. "You're going too far, Will, don't be stupid. The beta is one thing, but we've never faced an alpha."

"Careful who the fuck you're calling stupid," warned Will gruffly. "Dad raised you for a purpose, Jimmy. I'm not the only soldier here. Stop whining and get on the goddamn bike."

James had a sinking feeling in his chest. He knew it wasn't a good idea, and he knew his brother had a habit of running into dangerous situations half-cocked. But he threw a leg over the seat and got back on his bike. He nudged it into first gear.

The bike made a loud clacking sound, and the engine quit.

"What the...?" James turned the key in the ignition. The engine knocked a few times, rolled over, then sputtered out. A thin stream of smoke issued gently from under the engine plate.

"Ah, Jesus. You idiot," groaned William. "I told you - I fucking told you that was too much artillery for that engine."

James tried the ignition again, but it failed. He glanced at the saddle bags. They were heavily laden with a duffel of machinery on each side.

Groaning in frustration, James got off the bike and started unloading the duffels.

"Why do you carry all that shit, anyway?" Will griped impatiently. "You've never used any of it."

James glanced at his brother as he hauled the heavy duffels to the bushes.

Will smirked. "What? Have you? Have you killed a werewolf somewhere that I don't know about?"

James stowed the duffels in the bushes and covered them with branches. He ignored his brother's jibes. "It's Dad's stuff," he said in a would-be-casual way. "It's what he always carried on hunts."

Will snorted. "Because he was a werewolf killer."

James finished hiding the duffels and straightened up. He faced William, trying to look unaffected by his brother's words.

Will guffawed when he saw James' expression. He softened up a little. "I'm just saying... how much could it hurt you to help out on a hunt once in a while?"

James didn't seem amused as he walked over to Will's bike and stood beside it.

After a few seconds, Will raised his eyebrows. "Are you getting on?"

"Shut up," said James. He swung a leg behind William and got on the back of his seat.

Will faced forward with a smirk and nudged the gear shift.

But he didn't finish the motion.

An ear-splitting, branch-shaking roar ricocheted through the forest. It bounced off the trees, scattering birds and squirrels across tree-top branches. The howl rattled around in James's head and he covered his ears with his hands, almost losing his balance on the bike.

Both he and Will had gone as pale as ghosts.

Will looked sharply around them and pulled out his handgun. "Be ready," he murmured, all traces of humor gone from his eyes.

James pushed himself off the back of the bike and his brother dismounted after him.

They both saw it at the same time. There was a large, dark shape in the clearing ahead of them. Red lights gleamed like lasers in a black face, and dagger-like fangs glinted chillingly at them in the muted midday sun.

"It's the alpha..." Whispered James. He was frozen in place.

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	2. Brothers

**Chapter Two**

**"Brothers"**

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Will didn't hesitate.

He swung his gun up to aim, cocked the hammer, and pulled the trigger.

The first shot missed. The alpha flew through the air toward Will, who fired off two more shots, but the alpha kept coming.

It knocked Will over like a bowling pin. One of it's claws ripped the gun out of Will's hand and threw it into the creek. With it's other hand, the alpha grabbed onto the front of Will's head, covering his face.

"Stop!" James yelled, rushing forward. The alpha back-handed him, hardened knuckles splitting open James' cheekbone, and sending him crashing into a nearby tree. James dropped to the ground at the base of the tree.

The alpha held onto the top of Will's head in one giant, clawed hand. It leaned close to him, and it's hot rumbling breath hit his face. "Where... is... Scott... McCall?" It rasped.

Will's fingers scrabbled on the back of the alpha's hand. "Get off me, you dirty fucking animal!"

The alpha roared loudly enough to shake dirt off the tree roots in the ground. With a mighty snarl, it squeezed its vast hand around the hunter's head. Its clawed fingers crushed the man's skull in its palm like a hard-boiled egg.

James tried to roll to his feet at the base of the tree, but he couldn't get his balance. "Oh God..." He gasped, pulling himself toward Will. He could see his brother's blood rushing through the alpha's fingers. "Please no! Stop!"

The alpha lifted Will's body and threw it. It hit a tree and came to rest between two large roots.

James stared in horror at Will's limp form. He couldn't believe what had happened. It was all wrong... and it had happened too fast. It couldn't be real...

The alpha turned on James. It lumbered toward him on all fours.

James grabbed for the gun in his waist band, but the alpha was already on him. It seized his arm, breaking the bone with one sharp movement. Then the alpha forced him against the ground with one clawed hand cutting into James' chest.

James stared up into gleaming, crimson irises. He didn't move; he didn't even blink.

The alpha leaned closer and sniffed deeply, as if to take in James' scent, or maybe find someone else's. James' brain was entering lockdown mode. He barely breathed.

The alpha raised its head slightly and glared into his eyes again. "Tell me what I want to know." The beast's voice was like a roll of thunder.

"What - what?" Stammered James. Everything felt foggy except for the alpha's face hanging above him.

"Tell me," growled the alpha through it's teeth, "Where I can find Scott McCall."

James hand left the alpha's wrist to search in the leaves for a weapon. Any weapon, anything at all. A stick...

The alpha growled more deeply. "Your scent was at my family's home. You know where Scott is." Its claws pierced sharply through James' flesh. "Tell... me."

Will was dead.

James finally blinked. His muscles released slightly. If he died, he would go with Will. Wherever Will had gone so quickly, that was where he would also be. The thought draped over him like a blanket.

The alpha raised its claws to James' throat and dug in beside his jugular. "I won't ask again."

"I don't know," said James. He closed his eyes and his breathing slowed.

He wasn't afraid.

_This is it, _he thought numbly as he felt the alpha's grip tighten into his throat. Everything was silent to him, and it was dark beneath his eyelids.

And then suddenly, there was no more pain. He couldn't feel the alpha holding him down anymore. That was curious... would death be painless? Deep within James' mind, the idea was a pleasant one.

_This isn't so bad... I can do this._

But a few moments later, nothing had happened.

Nothing had changed, and James was still suspended in pleasant resignation.

Slowly, sounds began to reach him. Everything was muffled.

Noises grew louder in his head. Violent sounds, the clashing of metal.

The breaking of tree limbs. Yells and snarls.

Gunfire.

Then without warning, the pain in his broken arm hit James with full force and his eyes flew open.

He wasn't dead.

**.**

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**.**

Scott stayed low to the ground, pursuing the hunters in their vehicles. They drove along at a snail's pace, and Scott caught glimpses of them peering into the trees through their open windows.

Looking for signs of the alpha.

A low growl rumbled deeply in Scott's throat and his eyes flashed gold.

He stayed in the shadows of trees and brush. Another engine roared somewhere in the distance - Scott turned his head sharply. The sound had come from somewhere in the woods, maybe a mile away. More than one engine... there were two. Scott could hear them revving and gaining distance.

He crouched down and looked back toward the hunters' vehicles. None of them had heard. They didn't have the sensitive ears of a wolf. The alpha did, though, and the loudness of the vehicles in the forest was sure to bring him out.

_Good..._

A twig snapped behind Scott. He whirled around, but not quickly enough to prevent someone from shoving him against a tree face-first.

In an instant, Scott's teeth were sharp and his eyes blazed. He kicked his heel backward, striking the instep of his attacker. There was a muffled grunt, and Scott was released, which gave him an opening to aim his elbow at his attacker's face.

A strong hand caught his arm. With a growl on his lips, Scott yanked his arm free and darted away, spinning back around.

It was Derek.

The older beta was watching him with a heavy stare. They faced each other silently for a moment.

Slowly, Scott's eyes returned to their normal dark hue. "What the hell are you doing?" He growled under his breath, grinding his teeth.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," said Derek in an urgent undertone. He took a step toward Scott, his shoulders square. "You can't do this right now. Look at you, Scott. You're barely alive."

Scott was the first to break eye contact. He clenched his hands into fists at his sides. "I have to," he answered, his throat tight. He avoided looking back at Derek.

Derek wasn't pleased. "I risked my life to get us away from him, and you're trying to throw it away."

"No I'm not." Scott's neck started to redden, but he looked Derek in the eyes again. When he spoke next his voice was stronger. "I won't let you stop me."

Derek looked back at him without rushing to speak, and Scott saw a fury of unknowable thoughts in the older beta's hard, pale gaze.

"We had an agreement," said Scott, stepping closer. Maybe he could appeal to Derek's commitment. "I help you find him, and you help me kill him."

Derek was having none of it. He shook his head firmly. "This isn't about the cure, Scott. You're letting your anger drive you right now." He repeated Deaton's words to the younger boy, hoping they would have an impact. "You have to be rational."

"I'm rational. I know exactly what I'm doing."

"Scott, listen to me," said Derek in a stronger tone of warning. "We will deal with my uncle when we're in fighting shape. You are still healing. You're weak."

"I'm not weak."

Derek forced himself to be patient. He took a calming breath. "Come back with me, Scott. We'll handle this the right way."

But Scott dug his nails into his palms, drawing blood. He gazed darkly at Derek from beneath lowered brows. "There's only one way."

A network of tense lines crossed Derek's forehead. He took two steps closer, almost closing the gap between them. Scott's eyes sharpened up and he shifted his weight.

"I know that," said Derek as he searched Scott's face. "I know. But we have to be smart."

Scott breathed out. He hadn't realized he had been holding his breath. "I can't go back," he said. He shook his head and looked away from Derek.

"And I can't let you get yourself killed." Derek's tone was firm and authoritative. He tilted his head, trying to get Scott to look at him again.

Derek's proximity seemed to rob Scott of his certainty and his words. His brows pulled together and he turned away. He leaned his arm against a tree and tried to keep his breath steady. Unexpected emotions threatened to emerge around the edges of his anger.

_ Keep it together..._ he pleaded with himself.

A chill ran down his spine, and a voice echoed in his memory.

_"Keep it together, Scott... keep your eyes open..."_

With a yell Scott threw a vicious punch into the trunk of the tree. As his bleeding knuckles healed he punched again, harder, splintering bark in all directions. His eyes felt hot and there were tears welling up but he was too angry to care.

He faced the tree trunk. Bracing one hand against it, he lowered his head. He couldn't stop his shoulders from trembling. More and more, it felt like a heavy iron weight was pressing on his chest.

"Scott," said Derek gently, trying to get his attention.

Scott didn't answer. As the last of his adrenaline wore off, his body weakened. His legs felt like jelly.

Derek came forward, as though to put a hand on the younger beta's shoulder, but he didn't touch him. "Hey. Scott," he urged, but he still got no response.

Scott's chest hurt, and he realized abruptly he couldn't breathe. He shoved Derek away from him, dropping to his knees. He leaned forward with both hands flat on the ground and drew sharp, painful breaths, his eyes shut tight. Tears tracked down his cheeks in his desperation to regain control.

Derek's hand flattened on his back. The other beta had knelt beside him.

"I couldn't... I couldn't do anything..." Scott choked out.

"Scott, listen to me," said Derek with forced calm. "Focus on the sound of my voice."

Scott's head dropped down, and his fingers curled in the dead leaves. He coughed, trying to catch his breath without success.

"Listen to me, Scott!" Derek's tone was commanding. "Listen to me."

Over the sound of rushing blood in his ears, Scott listened to Derek.

"It wasn't your fault. When I said it was your fault, because of your... because of your golden moral code, I was wrong."

Scott fought to regain control of himself, to stop the tears, and to ease his breath. With every passing moment the tide of emotions in his chest rose higher. Unstoppable, insurmountable.

"Hey!" Said Derek sharply. "Are you listening to me? Nothing that happened was your fault. It was only his."

Scott held onto the sound of Derek's voice. The more he held on, the less weight he could feel on his chest. The whirlwind in his mind began to dissipate moment by moment, and soon he was able to draw a shaking breath, and fill his lungs.

"Good," said Derek. There was a flicker of personal victory in his eyes. "Good. Breathe normally."

Scott obeyed. He heaved a shuddering breath. The hand on the back of his shoulder held him steady. It squeezed, and didn't release him.

"He'll pay for it, Scott."

Derek looked down at Scott. This teenager was more of a brother to him than his uncle was an uncle. What had happened was unforgiveable. No other circumstances mattered anymore.

Peter Hale would die.

Scott managed to straighten up a little. He turned on his knees to face Derek and wiped his sleeve across his face. "We still have an agreement?"

Derek still gripped his shoulder. "We do," he answered. His relief at seeing Scott's eyes again was evident on his face. "But it won't be today."

However, other options were dwindling fast.

A deafening howl rent the air, tearing viciously into the otherwise quiet forest. Birds shrilled and took to the sky all around them. Scott and Derek went rigid.

Both of them stood, and gazed as one in the direction the hunters had gone.

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**Please leave a review, lovely ones! =D**


	3. Claws

**Chapter Three**

**"Claws"**

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The growls of the alpha were much louder and more jarring than the sharp reports of a dozen gunshots.

James lifted his head with painstaking effort. He grabbed onto the sturdy root of a tree, rolled over, and started crawling toward the bushes. He could see the strap of his duffel, and soon it would be within arm's reach.

He risked a glance toward the clearing nearby. Chris Argent and the other hunters had their guns trained on the alpha, though the beast moved almost too fast to see. The great, black creature darted side to side, and then disappeared into the trees.

The hunters aimed around them in wide arcs, but there was no sign of movement.

Then the alpha reappeared without warning and struck down one of the hunters, before vanishing into the trees once more.

"Guard our flank!" Chris's voice rang out. "Don't give it any more openings!"

James looked away from them. He pulled his duffel toward him and ripped open the zipper. He was slightly frantic as he felt around inside the bag. Finally he felt the cool handle of his father's uzi.

He tore it out of the bag, bumped the bottom of the magazine as he moved to his knees, and took aim. He was panicking, but you wouldn't know it to look at him. He aimed right and left, his movements sharp and precise as he searched for his target along the sight of his gun.

There was a scream of pain as the alpha leapt through the circle of hunters again, culling another of them with another well-placed strike. Blood spurted from the hunter's neck as he went down. The others wielded their firearms in vain, and a few of them squeezed rounds into the trees, but there was no sign of the alpha.

James' hands were sweaty on his weapon. "Argent..." he said uncertainly. It was a nervous undertone, but it carried.

Chris's eyes flashed in his direction. "I told you to stay in town."

"I know," whispered James, his aim faltering.

"Don't start doubting yourself," ordered Chris sternly. "That is what will get you killed. That and reckless abandon." James saw the older man's eyes flicker briefly to Will's body, but he couldn't bring himself to look.

Another howl shook the trees. It seemed to come from all around them.

Chris held his gun steady and took a few steps away from the other hunters. He moved further into the clearing, out into the open.

"Chris -" someone protested.

But Chris cut him off. "Maybe we can have a calm discussion," he said in a very loud voice that was clearly intended for the alpha. "No more bullets, no more claws. Just talking. Can we do that?"

The forest seemed to blanket his words and swallow them up, but Chris knew the alpha would hear him no matter where he was.

Another harsh yell broke out and another hunter went down in a rush of blood and flailing limbs.

Chris whirled to face the sound with his finger on the trigger. Once again, the beast had disappeared. "Alright..." murmured Chris. His eyes flashed with a deadly gleam. "No discussion. Just the facts. You're not walking out of this forest under your own steam, and that's the truth."

The forest and the hunters were silent for a moment. Chris was hyper-vigilant with his aim. There wasn't even a hitch in his shoulders as he sighted his weapon between the trees.

There - a quick movement under the cover of shadows.

Chris jerked his weapon left and fired three times in quick succession.

There was a roar of pain. The alpha stumbled into the light, leaning sideways to catch its balance. The sapling it leaned snapped in half with shocking loudness. By then all the hunters had trained their guns on the beast.

The bullet had struck the creature's thigh. It wasn't lethal, but the wound was smoking. Wolfsbane would already be entering the alpha's system.

Chris wondered if he should take another shot while the beast was off-guard. _But one should be enough..._

The alpha was fifty yards away, slightly past the tree line. It shook its great, black neck as if trying to recover.

Chris took a few strides toward the alpha. "Surrender," he commanded strongly. "If you haven't spilled the blood of the innocent, no more harm will come to you."

The alpha werewolf regarded Chris through narrowed, blood-red eyes. Its snout began to twist and wrinkle, exposing white fangs. A rough sound came from its throat that sounded like a broken snarl. Then, Chris experienced a moment of real doubt.

The alpha wasn't snarling. It was laughing.

Chris turned cold. For the first time, his heart took a faster beat. He kept the alpha in his sights. "All we want to do is talk. No tricks - just the facts."

The alpha rumbled out another harsh, laugh-like sound. With its crimson eyes fixed on Chris, it slowly lowered its massive, bulking form toward the ground. Its neck stretched slightly and its back curved until it was staring up at Chris from ground level.

Chris anticipated its move a split second too late. "Don't move -" he shouted, his finger moving back to the trigger, but the alpha was too fast.

It leapt upward with unnatural speed, and ricocheted off a large tree to fly back toward Chris.

Gunfire erupted, but stopped almost as suddenly.

The alpha had disarmed Chris with one sweeping slash, and leaped behind him, capturing him with its claws at his throat. Except it didn't look like the beast anymore.

The alpha had taken its human form. Peter Hale stood before them, naked, dirty, and covered in dried blood. He twisted Chris's arms behind his back and pressed his sharp claws into the front of the hunter's throat, poising to rip out his jugular. Chris's gun lay on the ground at his feet.

Peter yanked Chris backward across the forest floor, limping slightly. "Hold your fire," he growled at the hunters. His tone was forceful and his eyes glinted. "Hold your fire or I'll kill him."

The hunters stared at the beast and at Chris. They paced nervously, their guns trained on what they could see of the alpha. They couldn't see much of him; the werewolf was using Chris as a shield, and it would be too risky a shot.

"What do we do, Chris?" Someone ventured nervously.

"Nothing," said Chris without moving a muscle. Peter's claws were starting to draw blood from his neck. "Don't do anything."

Peter laughed loudly, devoid of any humor, and a leer contorted his otherwise handsome face. "Now that is good advice, men. Pearls of wisdom can be found in the most unlikely places. How about dropping those weapons and reaching your hands to the sky?" His tone implied a gentle suggestion rather than a command.

"Don't... do… anything," repeated Chris, grimacing. Peter's body was supernaturally hot against his back, and Chris was starting to sweat. He blinked, trying to control the liquid beads as they gathered on his forehead. He couldn't afford to have a drop fall into his eye.

Peter's grip tightened around his throat and his claws cut deeper, nicking muscle. "Tell them to drop their weapons," he whispered beside Chris's ear. "Or playtime is over."

Chris struggled to keep his cool. Slowly, his eyes found his comrades. When he spoke, it sounded as though he despised the sound of his own voice. "Lower... Lower your weapons."

One by one, the small group of hunters did as they were told.

Chris felt Peter relax as soon as he was released from the aim of their weapons. "Much better," cooed the alpha. "Now we can cover my terms and conditions. Only for those of you who will be leaving this place alive, of course..."

Chris looked incensed. "You know how many hunters will converge on this forest if you kill anyone else?" He ground out, keeping his anger in check. "You'll be dead long before the next moon."

Peter tensed, and for one moment, Chris thought the alpha was going to rip out his throat right then. But instead, Peter twisted his captured arm sharply. Chris let out a string of profanities, his voice reaching higher pitches as the alpha kept twisting. "God damn it!" He yelled over the sickening crunch of breaking bone.

"Who said anything about killing anyone else?" Breathed Peter into the crook of Chris's neck as Chris tried to suppress his agony. "This is still playtime."

James Cole got tremulously to his feet. He could see Will's body in his peripheral vision. "What do you want?" He asked the alpha in shaking tones of desperation.

Peter turned his attention on the stocky young man who he had so nearly killed. He smiled. It was an eerie, unsettling smile beneath brightly glinting eyes. "What I want is Scott McCall."

**.**

In the shadows of the dense undergrowth, Derek tried to hold onto Scott, but he couldn't. Scott threw him off and strode out into the clearing.

When he burst forth, the hunters raised their guns quickly, half of them swinging around to aim at him.

Scott didn't afford them even a glance. His glowing, yellow eyes were fixed on Peter. "I'm right here."

Peter turned sharply to look at him. His red, raking eyes took stock of the boy, and a slow smile touched his lips. "Scott," he demurred, his tone completely different from a moment before. "You look much better. You're healing well..." It wasn't a question.

"Do not shoot the beta!" Chris managed to grind out. Peter had further constricted his throat the instant Scott McCall arrived.

Scott's mind was a storm of fury and doubt as he stared at Peter's face. Somehow he kept his features composed as Peter regarded him. He tried not to think about the unabashed interest in that intrusive gaze, which the alpha made no effort to hide.

Scott lowered his chin and fixed Peter with a challenging stare. "Let him go."

Peter looked delighted. His expression seemed complacent, and almost innocent. "Can't we have some playful banter? We were starting to get really good at that."

It was mockery. "I'm the one you're looking for," growled Scott, pushing aside his fury once again. "He has nothing to do with it."

Peter looked appraisingly at Scott. The moment was long and drawn out, and Scott saw again a particular gleam in the alpha's eyes.

It gave Scott's rage the upper hand. "Let him go!" He yelled furiously and advanced toward them, his fangs sharpening.

"Careful, Scott," warned Peter. He pushed Chris forward and placed one hand on his back, curling the fingers of his other hand into the soft spot next to Chris's jugular. The threat was clear: if Scott approached any closer, he would kill Allison's father.

Scott hovered on the spot. It took everything in his power to remain where he was.

"You're smarter than this, Scott. You know you are," crooned Peter with a wink. "What did you think would happen if you found me?"

"It doesn't matter," said Scott quietly, "I guess we'll find out together."

Peter smirked and looked at the sky for a few beats. He shook his head, chuckling quietly, then met Scott's gaze again. "You truly are the bane of my existence, Scott. You have no idea what you can become. Your lack of understanding is absurdly vast." Peter shook his head again and chuckled. "If I didn't know your true potential I would never guess it."

Scott knew Peter was trying to anger him, to make him lose his focus and his edge. But try as he might, he couldn't shield himself from the man's words. He started to breathe faster as color crawled up his neck, heating his skin.

Peter didn't allow Chris to move an inch as he continued addressing Scott. "It was stupid to come here alone. These humans can't help you. You really misjudged your cards."

Scott growled softly. "I didn't."

Peter smirked. "I hate to burst your cute little bubble, but look around you, Scott. I have the winning hand."

"No," said Scott. The air around him was still like the calm before a storm. "I mean I didn't come alone."

There was a question on Peter's face for a moment. Then, Derek's roar shook Scott's bones as the other beta flew out of the shadows toward Peter. Derek collided with Peter and Chris, and the three of them crashed to the ground, limbs sprawling and teeth flashing.

The sound of their roars was unlike anything Scott had ever heard, and it momentarily stunned him.

But not for very long.

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**Reviews are a muse's gentle kiss! I know I said a weird thing, get over it xD Love!**


	4. Reckoning

Fanofeverything: thank you so much for being so awesome and reviewing all my stories! The fact that you like to read it makes writing it a million times more rewarding :D

Dragon Musketeer: is this ship underrated? Who would dare underrate Scerek? I'm so glad you aren't one of them, because I agree that it's a wonderful ship to sail :P

Orionastro: thank you so much for your reviews, I hope you keep enjoying it! :)

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**Chapter Four**

**"Reckoning"**

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Peter Hale was a force to be reckoned with. Even with one wolfsbane bullet slowing his reactions, he was a match for all of them combined.

Scott knew this, but he didn't care. He jumped into the fight with no regard for his own wellbeing. He landed a blow to the side of Peter's head and grabbed the alpha's arm as he swung around, yanking him, and ripping at him. Derek sunk his claws into Peter's other side, and slashed at his back.

Peter raised his head and roared. It was the same sound that came from his beast form, an echoing howl that could reach all the way into town. Scott faltered, letting go of Peter and stumbling back a step. He could feel that howl calling to his wolf side; calling him to shift and lose control. His eyes flickered between brown and gold and he raised his hands, pressing the heels of his palms against his temples.

The threat was real, and Derek reacted quickly. He grabbed onto Chris's arm and shoved him out of the way, then jumped at Peter with the speed of adrenaline. The force of his attack pushed Peter backward. Derek grabbed the alpha around the shoulders and darted up and in, his teeth bared, snapping viciously. He tried to sink them into the flesh of Peter's throat.

But the alpha threw up his arms, easily breaking Derek's hold on him. He flung Derek away, and turned to Scott, his arm arcing through the air at lightning speed. Scott leaped out of the way of Peter's fist. He ducked down and dodged forward again, his fangs bared. Peter's spell was broken.

Chris rolled away from the fight. He grabbed his gun from the forest floor and came to a stop on his knees, aiming into the clearing. The other hunters quickly stepped up beside him and followed his lead, raising their weapons, too.

"Don't fire," ordered Chris. "You could hit the betas."

Peter, Derek, and Scott were on their feet. The betas paced around the alpha like predators who had cornered their prey. But one glance at the alpha's face was all Chris needed to know the creature wasn't intimidated by their display.

"Boys," said Peter conversationally. "Aren't we getting a little old for this kind of thing?"

Derek barked a rough sound. "Stop talking, Peter. You'll only make it worse for yourself."

Peter's face split into a wide smile. For a moment he sized up his nephew. His eyes settled on the younger man's face. "This won't end well for you, Derek. And I really, really don't want to kill you."

Derek's eyes glowed with fury. "I told you to stop talking," he growled. A moment later, Derek jumped toward Peter from the side. At the same moment, Scott attacked from the other side. Their deafening growls bounced off the trees and filled the forest. Each time the alpha pushed one of them away, the other beta would jump back in, slashing at Peter, trying to contain him.

Derek lowered his shoulder like a battering ram and charged into Peter, colliding with him from the side. Peter grunted, his feet slipping backward through the dry leaves. But he grabbed hold of Derek's throat, and struck him so hard his knuckles split open on his nephew's cheekbone. Derek twisted in the air and dropped to the ground. He lay still, his eyes rolling slightly. Peter bent over him, claws outstretched.

Scott didn't give Peter the chance to touch Derek again. He dropped to all fours and launched himself at the alpha, wrapping an arm around Peter's throat as he soared around him, but Peter used Scott's motion to his advantage. Peter didn't let him stop moving; he moved in sync, spinning with Scott on his shoulder, and flung him to the ground over his hip. Grunting a string of furious growls, Scott curled sideways and grabbed onto Peter's legs. He slashed at the tender skin and he clutched his arms around Peter's knees, trying to unbalance him. Scott grappled Peter to the ground, where they both started rolling.

They rolled over and over. Each time, Scott somehow managed to keep it going. He found a way to stay out from underneath Peter, and to make it out on top one more time, and then one more time again.

But it wasn't long before Peter found an opening. As Scott rolled upright and tried to pin Peter by the chest, Peter jabbed his knee into Scott's ribs, breaking a couple of them. Scott gave an angry cry, moving his arms to protect his midsection, and Peter took the open offer. He shoved Scott off him with supernatural strength.

Scott flew backward with a growl of pain, landing on his back and sliding across the forest floor. He jumped to all fours and spun in the crinkly leaves to face Peter. He felt the pain of his broken ribs being amplified tenfold by his already-tender body. He fiercely pushed the pain out of his mind.

Peter was on his feet again, too. They faced each other, both of them low to the ground, but neither of them fully shifted. Their eyes glowed and their fangs gleamed, but they both exhibited no small measure of control. Peter seemed to have much more control than Scott, but Scott's resistance still impressed the alpha.

Peter shouldn't be surprised that Scott had impressed him again. The alpha had known there was something different about Scott since the first time he called out the boy's wolf in the school gymnasium. It had become clear to Peter that this kid possessed something not many others did, if any. He hadn't completely figured it out until Scott refused to submit to him in the basement of the Hale ruins. In the same situation, anyone else would have submitted... but not Scott.

That's when Peter knew Scott would never submit to him. That was when he knew he had to kill the boy, and it wasn't a decision he came to lightly. To kill something that beautiful, that rare, before its ready to fight would be an ache in his chest for years to come. But Peter couldn't take the chance. Scott could become strong enough to challenge him and win, and it could happen soon. There was only one option Peter could choose to safeguard the future, even though it was the option he most despised.

"Think about it, Scott," he growled lowly. "You can't win this. You're not ready to fight an alpha."

Scott breathed constant, quiet growls. "Maybe. But maybe you're not as strong as you think you are."

Peter watched him with a glimmer of endearment in his eyes. "See? This is the playful banter I was talking about. We're just... so..." Peter's eyes flickered down Scott's front, and back up. "Good at it."

The enticement in Peter's voice stirred the fire of rage in Scott's chest. He let out a howl of fury and ran forward. Dodging Peter's defensive parry, he leaped up a tree trunk and jumped off it, landing on Peter's back and clinging.

Scott was fully shifted now. He had given in to his rage. His claws left long gashes on the front of Peter's chest as he dug at Peter's throat with his claws. His strikes were messy and miscalculated as he gouged and slashed the alpha's flesh. In that moment, he was trying to kill Peter.

Peter ran backward, slamming Scott into a tree. He slammed backward again, dislodging Scott's grip. His clawed hand closed around Scott's forearm and he heaved the beta up and over his own head. He brought Scott crashing down, and then threw him across the clearing.

Scott hit and ground and bounced and rolled. He collided with Derek, who was just beginning to regain consciousness.

Scott kept rolling until he was able to catch himself, digging his claws into the soft earth. He flipped himself over to all fours and crouched in the dead leaves, low and glaring. He lowered a little more on his back legs, as though about to spring.

Peter threw himself into his feral shift the way a wolf might leap at a deer. When the alpha's shifting form descended on Scott in a sudden, flying leap, Scott was caught off-guard. He stumbled backward and tripped over a tree root, but didn't fall. He tried to face up to the alpha again.

But Peter didn't let him.

The alpha grabbed him by the front of the throat. He lifted Scott into the air and pinned him against the tree trunk, holding him up by his jaw.

Scott struggled. He tried to kick the alpha, but Peter was pushing against him to hold him in place, and Scott's feet slid past the alpha's legs with every intended blow. Scott's hands were clasped tightly around Peter's wrists at his throat.

Peter looked angry as Scott continued to fight him. He tightened his grip around Scott's throat, starting to cut off his air. "Don't make this harder than it has to be, Scott."

But Scott fought hard, choking. White lights started to pop in front of his eyes and everything started to spin.

The loud cracks of two gunshots rang out. Then the click of an empty chamber.

Peter grunted and loosened his grip on Scott's throat. Scott found himself falling. He landed on his knees between the roots of the tree and caught himself on one arm, looking up at Peter.

Peter stood back a few steps, turning to face the hunters.

Chris's gun was aimed at Peter and smoke curled loosely from its muzzle.

Scott searched Peter's body, and yes - the bullets had hit their mark. Fresh blood gleamed on Peter's black shoulder, and on his side. The bullet holes were smoking like the muzzle of Chris's gun.

Peter looked surprised for a moment. His movements were a little slower than before. He began to shift back to his human form.

This gave the hunters courage. They moved forward behind Chris, their weapons trained on the alpha's head.

But Peter wiped his hand over the smoking wounds, and looked at them again. After a long moment, he raised his head and roared.

Derek crashed into Peter. He grabbed tightly around Peter's neck with his arms and wrapped his legs around the alpha's thighs, twisting sharply. In his weakened state, Peter lost his balance and fell sideways, grunting and snarling as the two of them fought. Peter threw Derek off, but Derek jumped back astride him, punching him and slashing at his face.

Peter gave a sudden powerful buck of his hips, launching Derek sideways off of him. He rolled on top of Derek, pinning him down by the head and shoulder.

With a thundering yell, Scott launched onto the alpha's back again. He tore at Peter's throat, his claws notching deeper than before. His weight forced Peter to jerk upward, away from Derek.

From below, Derek struck Peter again and again, breaking a rib with every other punch as he wriggled to freedom. The first chance he got, Derek pulled himself out from beneath Peter.

The alpha's movements seemed to be slowing. His strength seemed to be waning under the influence of the three wolfsbane bullets. Peter wavered on his knees for a moment with Scott still on his back. He looked slightly faint.

Scott struck the side of Peter's head with his knuckles. The alpha snarled, but the sound was nothing compared to what it had been. Scott struck him again, and Peter almost lost his balance under Scott's weight.

Derek crouched down level with Peter's face. He stared deeply into his eyes for a moment. If Scott had been himself, he would have noticed the gleam of hate in Derek's gaze, and it would have chilled him.

Derek drew back an arm and hit Peter with all his strength. The powerful blow connected with Peter's temple, knocking him momentarily senseless.

Derek grabbed Peter by the hair, then shoved him sideways, letting him fall while Scott held on.

Scott jumped off Peter and pulled him over onto his back. He struck him hard in the face. He struck again, his knuckles drawing blood, and not just his own. He pummeled the alpha with reckless abandon. He didn't realize the feral snarls that echoed around them came from his throat now.

Peter's head hung limply to the side. His eyes were half-open, not focused on anything.

Scott dug his claws deep into Peter's throat, through the muscle. From this angle, he could feel where he needed to rip to break the jugular open.

His chest heaved as the intention rose through him, down his arm, and into his fingertips...

Something took hold of him, pulling him back. His claws left Peter's throat and he growled furiously, fighting to return to Peter's side. The arms wouldn't let him. Scott's eyes blazed, his teeth snapped, and he turned to slash viciously at Derek, leaving shallow cuts across the older beta's neck.

When Derek let go, Scott launched back toward Peter, sprawling onto his hands and knees at the alpha's feet, and pulling himself up the alpha's body toward his throat. Scott's rage was blinding, and uncontrolled. All he wanted was to kill Peter Hale.

Derek grabbed him again, flinging him backward. "Stop!" Yelled Derek authoritatively.

But Scott didn't stop. He growled through his sharp teeth, glaring at Derek with brightly glowing eyes, and then rushed forward. He tried to shove Derek out of the way so he could get back to Peter.

Derek snarled and refused to let him. He got his arms around Scott's shoulders and restricted him from behind. Scott roared and struggled, but Derek didn't let go. "Stop!" He commanded again. "Scott! Snap out of it!"

Scott tried to kick Derek's instep, but Derek jabbed his legs into the backs of Scott's knees, collapsing them. Scott went down to his knees on the ground, with Derek gripping him tightly from behind. He continued to fight, growls and snarls issuing constantly through his gleaming fangs.

Finally, Derek had enough. He jumped off Scott and twisted around to face him from the front. He breathed in and filled his lungs, his eyes starting to glow blue. When he opened his mouth, the powerful, authoritative roar that came forth was incomparable to Scott's sputtering. "SCOTT! CONTROL YOURSELF!"

Derek's roar rushed over Scott like a cascade of cold water. He blinked quickly, falling backward onto his rear and catching himself with his hands behind him. He looked around the clearing. His eyes found Peter, and the hunters, and then Derek again. He stared at Derek and his eyes slowly returned to their human shade. He looked down at the blood on his hands and arms.

"Are you with us?" Growled Derek.

Scott didn't respond at first, staring at his hands as his claws receded. Then he gave a slight nod. He looked back up at Derek. "Did I...?"

Derek saw the cognizance in Scott's eyes. "No," he answered in a low voice, with a shake of his head. "He's alive."

Scott blinked. "But I have to..."

Derek shook his head again. "No. You can't kill him, Scott."

Scott swallowed hard. His mouth was suddenly very dry. "But what about our agreement?"

Derek gazed at the boy. Once he was sure Scott had control, Derek crouched down to be at eye-level with his young counterpart. "You're not a murderer, Scott," he said quietly.

Scott's brows drew together and he shook his head, trying to clear it from the effects of blinding rage. He had been so sure what he was going to do...

He was going to kill Peter Hale. He was going to rip out his throat.

Another voice spoke up in the back of his mind...

_How close did I come to being exactly what Peter said I am?_

"But the cure," he muttered with his eyes on Peter's limp form.

Derek looked away for a moment, and then back to Scott. "You're not sick. I've said it before, Scott... the bite is a gift. You'll be thankful for it one day."

Scott had a lot to say about that, but instead he looked back at Derek. "Then he has be locked up. He can't go free."

Derek shrugged. His gaze remained on Scott. "That's more Argent's kind of thing than mine."

Scott hesitated, then looked down. He wasn't sure why. He felt dirty, like he had stepped into someone else's skin; someone he didn't want to be. His gaze flickered to Derek again, and settled on the healing gashes across the other beta's neck.

Scott must have looked very sorry, because a moment later Derek had moved forward and taken him up in a kneeling embrace. The older beta held him tightly, and Scott didn't move. He was unresponsive to Derek's closeness, except for the sharp increase in his heart rate. But after a few moments, Scott's shoulders relaxed a little.

"Don't worry about it, Scott," said Derek, letting go of him and standing up. Scott remained where he was, kneeling in the dead leaves.

Derek turned away from Scott. He strode to Peter's side and knelt down, looking into his uncle's barely opened eyes.

Peter's mouth opened and he managed to speak. "Go ahead... Derek," he wheezed. His broken ribs had punctured his lungs, and his body was trying to heal itself.

Scott watched from a short distance away as Derek stared down at Peter.

Peter drew in a deep, rasping breath. He gazed up at his nephew with eyes that slowly glowed, brightening and gleaming until his shifted irises were clear and blood-red. "You've already... _decided_!"

The loudness of Peter's last word sent a stab of alarm through Scott's chest. His gaze focused sharply on Derek's back, and what he could see of Peter's face.

The muscles of Derek's back contracted beneath his jacket, twisting like thick bands of rubber. The movement that came afterward was almost too fast to see.

Derek drove his claws deep into Peter's throat, and slashed upward.

"Derek! No!" Scott yelled, running forward, and landing on his knees again.

Ropes of blood spurted from Peter's neck. The alpha gasped and gurgled as his body started to convulse.

Scott stared at Peter with a mixture of horror and awe.

Allison's father and the other hunters were shouting, but all Scott could hear were the wet, gurgling sounds of Peter Hale's last breaths.

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**Hurt/comfort alert! Much hugs and many cutenesses are fast approaching. But the whump isn't even over. Be patient! Oh, and please review! ;)**


	5. Unspoken

**Chapter Five**

**"Unspoken"**

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Scott's ears were ringing.

He stared at Peter's face, slick with blood. The eyes that had been red and gleaming a moment before were now vacant and dull. There was no animosity in them anymore, and no hint of malicious intent. He was just... still.

"Get up, Scott."

Scott heard Derek, but he didn't move. He continued to stare at Peter's lifeless face until he felt Derek's hand on the back of his shoulder.

"Scott. Get up."

Derek shook him slightly by the shoulder, and only then did Scott react. He got to his feet, lightly pulling his shoulder out of Derek's grasp. He turned to look at Derek, and there was a glimmer of badly-disguised betrayal in his eyes.

Derek didn't want to see it there. "I told you, Scott," he said urgently but quietly. The hunters were gathered nearby, most likely debating whether they should approach the downed alpha. "I told you. You're not a murderer. I couldn't let you do it."

Scott's expression didn't change, and his voice was a little unsteady. "You did it instead."

"I had to," said Derek, his eyes searching Scott's face. "Someone had to and I couldn't let it be an Argent - I couldn't let it be you. I had to, don't you get it?"

Scott's gaze was unwavering. "Why?" He asked in a whisper.

But it wasn't Derek who answered. "Because he was too dangerous to let him live," said Chris Argent, slowly approaching the two of them. His gun was lowered in front of him, but he was ready to aim it if necessary.

Both Derek and Scott turned to face him, also ready for anything.

"That's the thing about rabid dogs," Chris continued. He fixed his eyes on Derek.

Derek regarded Chris for a prolonged moment of silence. It was unclear from his face how he felt about the comparison. Finally, Derek raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes flicking to the gun in Chris's hand. "Are you going to shoot us?" He asked.

Chris hesitated. He glanced at the ground between them as though in thought. Then, looking back up, he tucked the weapon into the side of his jeans. "You kids saved my life tonight."

Neither Derek or Scott seemed to know what to say in response. Scott scratched the side of his head and gave Chris an uncertain half-nod, which he stopped midway. After that he had a somewhat questioning appearance. "You, uh... you too," he said awkwardly.

Derek simply remained silent, and watched the hunter darkly.

Chris gazed placidly between Derek and Scott, observing them. Behind him, the other hunters put away their weapons. Then without another word, Chris turned his back on Derek and Scott, and joined the others across the clearing.

When Chris departed, Derek looked sideways at Scott. Scott turned too, looking back at Derek.

"Do you understand?" Said Derek, stepping closer to Scott, and speaking in an undertone that only Scott would hear.

Scott chose not to make it easy. "Understand what?"

Derek blinked, his patience strained. "Do you understand why I did what I did?"

Scott's eye contact flickered. He answered Derek with another question. "You wanted his power?"

"No," said Derek shortly, shaking his head. "That's not what I... Scott, that's not why I did it." He paused, and watched Scott closely. Then he let out a short exhale. "Look at my eyes, Scott."

Scott was already looking. He saw Derek's irises flare electric blue, and then fade back to human.

"Didn't you ever wonder why my eye color is different from yours?"

Scott feigned indifference, but his interest was caught.

"It's because I've taken a life, Scott. I'm a murderer. It changed me, and it would change you, too."

Somewhere in Scott's relative detachment, Derek's words sunk in. But he couldn't think of anything to say, so he didn't say anything.

Derek didn't seem to mind Scott's silence. "You're different," he continued under his breath. "I don't know what it is, but Peter knew there was something, too. Maybe he even knew what it was."

A frown of confusion tugged at Scott's brows. "What are you talking about?" He whispered.

"I don't know what to tell you, Scott, there's something there," said Derek with a resigned shrug of his shoulders. "Something about you is different from other betas, and I'm starting to think maybe it's not such a bad thing."

The lines between Scott's brow smoothed, and his expression relaxed the slightest bit. He thought for a minute. He seemed a little lost, and that was how he felt. Now that Peter was dead, he wasn't sure how to feel. But one thing was strong in his mind; stronger after hearing Derek's words. He was relieved that he hadn't killed Peter.

Derek kept an eye on Scott with the hunters in his peripheral vision. When Chris's men approached Peter's body, pulling on gloves, Derek realized their intent. He turned sharply toward them, his upper lip lifting off his sharpened canine in a silent growl.

Chris stepped forward. He held out his hand in a pacifying manner. "It's okay," he said calmly. "We know what we're doing, Derek. You know we do."

Derek couldn't deny it. Though the reminder of Argent's history of massacring his kind was unwelcome, Derek's fangs shrank back to human size.

He watched as the hunters encased Peter's body in strong plastic. They removed the corpse to one of the SUV's parked between the trees nearby. One of the hunters went to assist in carrying a few dead bodies to a vehicle. Others loaded a couple dirt bikes into another vehicle, and hauled some heavy-looking duffels out of the brush.

Derek didn't interfere with them, but he and Scott watched their every move.

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Chris shut the trunk of one of the vehicles. He turned to catch sight of James Cole leaning against the SUV that carried his brother's body. His back was turned to the closed window, and he stared at the ground without moving.

"Hey," said Chris, approaching him with his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

James blinked but didn't turn his head.

Chris leaned his back against the vehicle beside James, crossing his arms over his chest. His gaze took in the surrounding trees. The sound of the nearby creek reached him.

As the minutes wore on, birds started to reemerge, and their singing carried through the dense branches. It seemed very out of place after what had occurred here.

James didn't say anything.

Finally Chris looked over at him. "I'm very sorry about your loss."

James nodded his head once without looking at Chris.

Chris breathed deeply. "When we head out of here, you can ride with me."

James sniffed. "He wanted to go after the alpha," he said softly. His tone was so quiet that Chris had to lean closer to hear him. "I told him we shouldn't. I wanted to stay on the hill... but he wanted to prove..." he trailed off with a choked sound and turned his face away.

Chris knew James was hiding tears so he didn't rush to say anything. There were no words that could fix this for James, and Chris was smart enough not to try. After a few minutes of silence he put a hand on James' shoulder. "Your brother had a passion for this job. You have a passion for it, too. I can see it. And you're a good shot. You're thoughtful and you follow through."

James didn't seem to know what to do with the sudden unexpected praise. He sniffed wetly and turned his head, but not so much that Chris could see his eyes.

Chris had always thought that if he could just separate the older Cole brother from the younger, James would make a damn fine hunter one day. But he knew the loyalty those brothers had for each other, and he understood the loss James must be feeling. "You have a future with me, James. If you want it."

This made James turn his head. He looked at Chris, who saw the young man's eyes were red and swollen. Tears tracked down his cheeks. "What do you mean?" Asked James, wiping the back of his hand across his face.

Chris was a gentle and patient man when circumstances required it. "What I mean is, I hope you'll stay on to work with me in the coming weeks and months. Years." He squeezed James' shoulder lightly. "If that's something you want."

James nodded without hesitation. He looked away from Chris and blew his nose into his sleeve. "That's what I want," he said thickly through his stuffed up nose. "To keep working."

"Good," said Chris with a genuine smile. "We could really use a man like you to watch our six."

After Chris walked away, James turned and looked through the dirty window of the SUV. He could see Will's body inside, wrapped in a plastic tarp. Beside Will's body was the body of the alpha werewolf, closed tightly into a body bag and zipped in with mountain ash and wolfsbane. It would be taken somewhere and dealt with.

_Argent's a good guy,_ thought James as he looked at his brother.

_And the two betas_... he was probably alive because of them. Their intervention had turned the tide and dictated the outcome, and every hunter knew it. Even James.

_Probably even Will_... thought James. The two betas had earned a new ally in James, even though they wouldn't know it for a while to come.

James looked away from his brother and opened the front passenger door. The driver got into the other side and few others climbed in the back as the engine revved to life. The second SUV was idling beside it. It followed when the first vehicle pulled out of the tree line, driving in its wake. The SUV's were sturdy machines. They would make it out of the woods without difficulty.

The only vehicle left in the clearing was Chris's SUV. Chris stood beside the driver's side door, with his phone in his hand. There was a frown on his face.

"You getting in?" Said a hunter's voice from inside.

"God damn it..." Muttered Chris. "Hold on..."

They waited a minute.

"What's up?" Insisted the same voice.

Chris looked up from his phone. "Kate's been arrested on illegal carry charges. It seems like someone tipped off the law and I need you to pick her up for me, Tom."

"What about you?" Asked Tom's voice.

Chris glanced across the clearing at Derek and Scott. "I'll take a walk with the two betas."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Is that safe?" Asked Tom in alarm.

Chris looked back at his comrades. "Don't worry about me. Just go pick up Kate, get her out. We don't need anyone asking too many questions. You'll have whatever funds you use back in your account by morning." Chris moved back from the vehicle and shut the door. Inside, Tom moved over to the driver's seat. He saluted Chris through the closed window. Then the SUV pealed out over the pine needles, through the brush, and toward thinner trees. Toward town.

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"There was a problem in town," explained Chris as he got nearer to Derek and Scott. "Looks like I'll be walking out with you."

Derek looked amused, in a condescending sort of way. "You think you can keep up with us?"

Chris addressed Scott, ignoring Derek for now. "A friend of yours is meeting us at the edge of the woods," he told Scott, holding up his phone. "He was nice enough to text back just now."

"Who?" Asked Scott, bewildered.

"The Sherriff's kid. Stiles."

Scott frowned. "Why does Stiles have your number?"

Chris shrugged lightly. "Maybe he got it from Allison." The man was a flawless liar.

Derek made an impatient sound. "Even if Stiles meets us on the road, you can't keep up with us cross-country."

Scott glanced at Derek. "It's okay," he told him, shaking his head. "You don't have to go."

Derek stared at him. Then he looked at Chris. He blinked a couple times, glancing between the two of them. Finally, he spoke incredulously. "You want me to let you walk three miles alone with Chris Argent?"

"You live in the other direction," said Scott defensively, gesturing north. "I'm fine - I don't know what makes you think I'm not."

"I'm coming with you."

Scott stared helplessly at Derek. Then he breathed out and nodded with a heavy shrug.

Derek looked torn for a moment, watching him. "Do you want to hit me or something?"

Scott gave him a frowning look.

"Do you want to hit me?" Repeated Derek. "You're pissed at me, Scott. Hit me or something, and get over it."

Scott growled in exasperation. "I don't want to hit you."

Derek crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Then tell me what you're thinking."

Scott didn't want to talk about anything right then. He didn't want to talk about any of it at all, but especially not now, with Allison's father listening in.

"Tell me," ordered Derek firmly.

Scott's eyes flashed defiantly. "What I'm thinking is... I'm thinking you're an alpha now, but you're not my alpha."

Derek looked slightly surprised. "That's what you were thinking about?"

Scott shrugged his shoulders, glancing away.

Derek knew there was a lot more on Scott's mind than he was willing to say, but the older beta decided not to push him any further. "Alright. Well... don't worry. I know I'm not your alpha."

Scott nodded, still avoiding Derek's eyes.

After a few beats, Derek took a step. "Come on. Let's get out of here." He started walking toward town.

Scott waited, with a sidelong glance at Allison's father. Then he followed after Derek.

Chris Argent caught up with Scott and fell into step beside him. For a human, Chris's eyes were sharp and his ears were alert. He hadn't missed a single interaction between the two of them back there, spoken or unspoken.

**.**

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**Love and CHERISHMENT between Scott and Derek is on the horizon :D**


	6. Unspoken Part 2

**Chapter Six**

**"Unspoken Part 2"**

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The sun was setting over Beacon Hills. It cast long, tired shadows across the pavement as Stiles steered the Jeep to the curb in front of the Argent home. He brought them to a stop and nudged the gearshift to neutral, then turned the key. The occupants of the Jeep were left in relative silence when the engine cut out, but none of them seemed to mind. No one was in a hurry.

Finally Scott got out through the passenger door and pulled the seat forward so Derek, then Chris could exit.

As Chris stepped onto the curb his light blue eyes flickered from Scott to Stiles, then back again. "Thank you for the ride," was all he said.

"Any time," said Stiles through the window. "Thanks for... you know..." He and Scott glanced at each other.

But Chris didn't need to hear it. He nodded his head and settled his gaze on Scott. "You're welcome." There was no suspicion in his tone, no judgment, or condemnation. For the first time, Scott didn't feel like he was looking at a man who wanted to kill him.

Then Chris broke eye contact and turned toward the house.

Scott looked over at Derek. Derek leaned against the side of the Jeep, and after a pause, Scott leaned beside him. They watched Chris's retreating back.

Derek's eyes were somber and pale. The stillness in his gaze and posture was how Scott felt on the inside. He had done a lot of thinking during the long miles through the Preserve to the road. They hadn't really talked, not even Chris. They had hiked in relative silence, giving Scott a chance to order his mind. Some things had become clear to him... obvious things; things he should never should have come so close to forgetting...

He wasn't a murderer.

Now, feeling more and more like his feet were finally on the ground, Scott wondered if he looked as bad as Derek did. He probably looked worse.

There was a hint of distress in Derek's features, and Scott saw it. He watched Derek for a minute. Then Derek met his eyes, and he shifted his weight slightly.

"Do you understand?" Derek's voice was strained; Scott's silence clearly bothered him.

But then Scott gave Derek a short nod of his head. It was an affirmation, however fleeting or reluctant.

Derek's nostrils flared slightly and he looked away from Scott, inhaling deeply. He nodded his head and exhaled.

The rest of what passed between them on the quiet street was unspoken, and neither of them seemed to want it another way.

The porch light of the Argent home flicked on as soon as Chris neared the front steps. The front door creaked as it swung open, then a hushed exclamation reached their ears. "Dad! What is this - what are you covered in?"

Scott's heart thundered in his chest at the sound of Allison's voice. He tried to see around Chris's shoulders to catch a glimpse of her.

"We'll talk about it later, Allison," answered Chris as he tried to move inside.

Then...

"Scott?"

Allison had seen him. She pushed past her father as though he were a hanging curtain and trotted down the steps toward the Jeep.

Scott straightened up, his eyes fixed to hers as she neared. "Hi, Allison."

Allison looked at his torn jeans and ripped jacket with a sparkle of matronly disapproval in her eyes. She shot a puzzled glance toward Derek. Then she must have spotted some blood that Scott had missed, because a moment later she closed the distance between them, and reached up to brush his hair away from his forehead.

Scott went momentarily rigid. He stared into her eyes, his own eyes slightly widened. He breathed deeply through his nose.

When her fingers touched his temple, a shiver ran through him. Goosebumps stood out on his skin, but his body felt warm.

"What happened to you, Scott?" She asked in concern, inspecting something near his hairline. Then she looked into his eyes expectantly.

Scott lost himself in her gaze. Every burden lifted off his shoulders as he allowed himself to bask in the sight of her. A smile touched his lips; his first smile in what felt like a very long time.

"Don't worry about it," he answered gently. He wanted to lean closer to her. He wanted to be near her hair, near her lips - he wanted to hold her.

But Chris had strode back down the walkway and stopped a few meters away to watch them pointedly.

Scott tore his eyes off Allison's face to look at Chris.

When Scott looked at him, something tugged at Chris's heart. He didn't know what it was... within reason, he should want the McCall boy to stay as far away from Allison as possible. He should want no contact between them at all. And that was what he wanted.

But Scott wasn't just another werewolf to him anymore. After what he'd seen and heard, Argent was convinced Scott wasn't just another werewolf to other werewolves, either. There was something different about him - something good. It couldn't hurt to let them have a small moment together.

Chris sighed in defeat and turned his back on his daughter and Scott. He walked back to the front porch where his wife awaited him.

Scott thought he knew what Chris's actions meant. He was giving him some slack. It was a fraction of permission to act on his feelings, and Scott didn't know if he would get the chance again.

His eyes shone and he looked back at Allison. Breathing stronger, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers.

Allison seemed to melt against him, kissing him back.

Scott brought his hands to the sides of her face, and Allison curled her fingers in the back of his hair. Her lips were soft and warm. Her scent surrounded Scott, filling and saturating him.

"Allison!" Barked Chris's voice from the porch.

Apparently Scott had stretched the slack a little too tightly.

Allison broke off the kiss, pulling back. Her eyes found Scott's. There was a growing smile of delight on her lips, and no trace of her earlier concern. She smiled widely, looking up at him.

Scott was unable to look away from her. He didn't want to.

"Let's go, Allison," said Chris in a louder voice.

Allison giggled, twisting her fingers among Scott's fingers in a display of shy endearment. "Sorry," she said, rocking forward a little. "I have to go."

Scott's smile faded a little as he nodded his head. "Yeah. See you in school."

He didn't let go of her hand until Allison pulled it away. She smiled over her shoulder at him as she walked to the door.

Chris received her with one arm around her shoulder to shepherd her inside. Scott caught one more indiscernible look from the man before Chris closed the front door, and the porch light flicked off.

Scott stood there staring at the shadowy façade of Allison's home. A minute passed before Derek cleared his throat.

Scott glanced at him.

Derek was still leaning comfortably against the side of the Jeep. Now there was a different sort of look in his eyes... like he didn't care to hide his relief anymore. And that didn't make sense, given that Allison was an Argent.

"Let's go," said Derek, clapping Scott gently on the back. Derek opened up the door and got into the back, and Scott slipped into the passenger side in the front. He looked over at Stiles.

Stiles was staring at him as though he were looking at a creature from outer space.

"What?" Said Scott, unable to stop himself from grinning slightly.

Stiles' mouth was agape. "You just kissed the werewolf hunter's daughter."

Scott's smile grew a little. "I know."

"You kissed her right in front of the werewolf hunter."

"I know. Stop calling him that."

"That's what he is. And you just kissed his daughter right in front of him."

Scott turned away from Stiles, still smiling. "Yeah, I know."

Derek leaned forward from the back. "If anyone's going to give Scott a hard time about the hunters, it's me," he said in a tone of finality. "Leave him alone, Stiles. Drive."

Stiles grumbled something about taxi fares, but he put the Jeep in gear and pulled away from the curb.

Scott watched Allison's house disappear behind them. He kept staring out the window long after he couldn't see it anymore. He could still feel Allison's soft lips on his, and it was all he could think about. He didn't need to think about Peter, or what the alpha had done. Allison never needed to know...

In the back, Derek settled against the seat. He kept his eyes on the back of Scott's head. The relief that had flared a minute ago now dissipated, trickling away like sand through a sieve. Neither of them could see his expression, so he didn't bother composing it. He was worried about the future, and he was worried about Scott. It was written all over his face.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Chris Argent was seated in the living room. The clock on the table read almost eleven at night, and his only light was a small desk lamp. There was a fire laid in the fireplace, but he hadn't taken the time to light it.

He leaned forward, bent over a book in front of him, perusing the pages with determined intensity. His finger moved across the leather pages, going from page to page. His other hand rested near his chin, the fingers scratching the stubble on his chin.

The front door banged open, and Chris looked up. His sister Kate strode in and shut the door behind her. She looked frazzled and tired, and close to the end of her rope.

Chris stood up as Kate walked over. She came over without a word and sat down on the couch, putting her feet up on the table.

"Careful," said Chris, moving the leather-bound book out of the way of Kate's boots.

Kate dropped her feet back down. "That's the welcome I get? Do you know the hassle I've been through?"

Chris raised his eyebrows and shook his head. He already had a reprimand ready. "You shouldn't have been carrying. Not in town, or at least just something subtle. A nice berretta, would that be hard?"

Kate threw up her hands. "You know how I feel about berrettas," she groaned. "Couldn't you spare the time to come and pick me up yourself? Your friends are idiots."

Chris sat back down where he'd been before. "Sorry about that. I was glad to be alive, I wanted to get home and see my family." There was a touch of sharpness in the inflection of his tone.

It looked like it stung Kate a little, but she was more interested in something else. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Chris shook his head tiredly. "I'll tell you about it in the morning," he said firmly. "I was trying to get some reading done."

Kate frowned. "What, in the bestiary?"

"It's nothing," said Chris. "I should get to bed."

Kate looked disappointed, but she didn't press it. "Before you do, just tell me one thing: did we get them?"

Chris's patience was wearing thin in his fatigue, but he managed to hold it together. He nodded his head. "Yes. The alpha's dead."

Kate waited a moment, then probed further. "And the two betas?"

Chris looked at her sternly. "The betas won't be a problem," he told her. "We'll leave them alone."

Kate stared at him, speechless. It was a new thing for her, and she quickly overcame it. "You're kidding, right Chris?"

"We go by the code, Kate. If they become a problem, then it's our problem. But not until then."

"You just want to let them go?" Kate sounded like the idea was laughable to her. "I can't believe you're serious. They could have information, Chris. Information that we need. They could know other werewolves, other alphas."

"Kate," rumbled Chris, standing up. "Listen closely to me. We _will _adhere to the code. The two betas will not be harmed."

Kate stood up too. "You and the code..." She grabbed a box of matches off the mantel and flipped it over in her hands, looking down at it. Her pacing slowed, and after a moment she turned back around to face Chris.

He had been watching her. "Is that understood?" He asked calmly and clearly.

Kate leaned on her hip, swaying playfully. She gave Chris an impish smile, her eyes bright and innocent. "You know me, Chris." She smiled a little wider. "I always play by the rules."

She struck a match, dropping it into the fireplace, and the laid tinder erupted in flames.

**.**

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	7. Nightmare

**Author's Note: Many things in the first few chapters have been revamped. Some things have been added or changed, and some things taken away. Some hugs taken away lol. I guess that's why they say a writer is always writing! **

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**Chapter Seven**

**"Nightmare"**

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Derek wasn't sure what he was doing, crouched on the roof outside Scott's window. It was well past three in the morning, and Scott was inside sleeping. Derek didn't have anywhere else to go, and he couldn't sleep. He used that to justify creeping around someone's house while its occupants slept. But the truth was that he wanted to keep an eye on Scott. The kid had been through a lot, and his werewolf abilities were probably a little unpredictable at the moment.

Derek wanted to make sure Scott stayed in the house until morning.

Crouched low, he looked through the window into Scott's bedroom. Scott was sleeping on his side, facing away from the window. His blankets were a tangled mess but he wasn't moving.

After a few moments, Derek straightened up and made his way higher on the roof. He found a gentle slant at the back of the house and lay down on his back, looking up. Stars twinkled across the sky all the way to the horizon, and the moon hung low and bright. It would be full in a few days.

That fact was a somber one, especially now. As Derek watched the sky in thought, he kept an ear toward Scott's bedroom window.

**...**

Scott and Stiles made their way onto the lacrosse field, surrounded by the rest of the team. Everyone was pumped up. It was a big game.

The coach carried the water cooler to the benches. "Don't mess this up, guys," he said loudly as he dropped the cooler down. "Beat them to a pulp!"

Jackson raised his stick. "We got this, Coach."

"You better, or I'll regret not signing on with the pros!" Barked Coach. Then he slowly leaned toward Scott as if to whisper something, so Scott leaned, too. Coach put his whistle to his lips and blew it loudly.

Scott reeled sideways, covering his ears. "God.. god damn it..." he muttered, giving his head a shake. He glared at the coach. "What did you do that for?"

"You're going to win this game, McCall," said Coach warningly. "Or your A in econ?" Coach put his hand in the air like an airplane, which wavered downward until it crashed and burned in midair. Coach slapped Scott hard on the back of the shoulder.

Scott looked tense but he nodded his head. "Yeah, coach," he muttered, then walked toward the rest of the team as they gathered in a circle.

"Hey - Scott!" Allison was waving to him as she walked over.

Scott turned away from his team mates and smiled at Allison. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk with you," said Allison smilingly. She twisted on her toes as she leaned to give him a small kiss.

Scott kissed her back. His head moved closer to hers as she pulled away, but Allison seemed determined. "Come on," she said, and pulled him by the hand. He glanced back at the team, knowing he should stay, but then he fell into step beside her.

"Where are we going?" He asked vaguely as he admired the side of her face.

Allison looked at him and smiled. "You'll see. Come on, Scott." She walked a little faster toward the school.

They entered the school through the back door. The classrooms were dark, but a few lights had been left on in the hallway because of the game.

"I don't think we're supposed to be in here," said Scott with a crooked grin.

Allison didn't say anything. She had a small, sweet smile on her lips as she led Scott further into the school.

They went up a flight of stairs. No lights had been left on for the second floor, and everything was dark.

Scott's heart thundered in his chest. Why would she lead him up here, unless - ? Did she want... were they going to...?

His whole body felt alive as Allison tugged him toward one of the classroom doors. It was closed, but unlocked. Allison pushed him through the door and followed him in, then shut the door behind them.

They were left in almost complete blackness.

Scott chuckled. "Allison... do you want to get the lights?"

He felt Allison move away from his side, and he wished he could see the inviting smile on her lips.

He moved into the classroom, feeling ahead of him as he went. He could use his enhanced vision, but he didn't want to risk showing Allison the brightness of his wolf eyes.

"Allison?" He said quietly. "Where'd you go?" He reached out, trying to find her.

"I'm right here," came Allison's voice, very close-by.

Scott grinned and turned, reaching with both his arms. He expected to wrap them around Allison, but his hands closed on empty air. He listened for her heartbeat. It was fast, and very near. But he felt around again and he couldn't find her.

"Allison?" He said quietly.

Suddenly, Allison's hands closed around the sides of his jacket and she pulled him against her.

Scott let out a stifled sound of surprise.

"I'm right here," said Allison demurely, lifting her chin to place a gentle kiss against Scott's lips.

Then she broke off the kiss, and tugged him toward the desk at the front of the classroom. She didn't seem to need enhanced vision to know the way.

Scott chuckled under his breath as he followed her. He didn't want to seem too incredulous or excited. "What did you want to talk to me about?" Damn it... His voice had cracked like an eighth grader's.

Allison laughed softly. She stopped next to the desk and turned to face him. She pressed her body against him and brushed her lips past his. Scott wished he could see her eyes.

"This," breathed Allison softly.

She kissed him passionately, her tongue flicking between his lips. Scott overcame his surprise, and started kissing her back. He tasted her lips, kissing her deeply. But Allison pushed him back, and then kept pushing until Scott's legs hit the desk. She draped herself on his lap and wrapped her legs around his, pulling them out from under him.

Scott slid backward on the desk and Allison jumped on top of him with a mischievous giggle. She straddled his hips and pushed him down by the shoulders.

Scott almost blew his lid at that moment. But he held back, breathing hard. His hands curved around Allison's hips. "A -a-are you sure you want to do this?" He stammered. He was suddenly facing the possibility of something he had dreamed about for weeks.

Allison leaned down over him. Her breasts pushed firmly against his chest, and her lips stopped a few inches from his. "Of course I'm sure." She paused. "Are you sure?"

Scott made an incredulous sound in his throat. "Are you seriously asking me that question?"

He felt Allison's warm smile when she leaned closer to kiss him again.

But Allison broke off the kiss after only a few moments, and looked down at him without moving.

All Scott could see in the darkness was the dim outline of her face. "Are you okay?" He asked her gently.

Allison was a lot heavier on Scott's hips than he thought she would be. She was weighing him down to the desk, and he couldn't really move.

"Allison," said Scott, squeezing her hip. "What's wrong?"

He felt her sit up a little straighter. He watched her dark outline, silhouetted by the glow of the exit sign on the wall.

And then a scent reached him. Just a hint, but it grew stronger.

A scent that should be nowhere near there... It filled Scott's nostrils.

He tried to sit up so he could look around, but Allison didn't move.

He sniffed the air.

It was Peter's scent...

He listened silently for a few seconds, but he couldn't hear a third heartbeat anywhere in the school.

Peter's scent was acrid in his nose, like smoke.

Scott inhaled deeply, searchingly.

Now the smell of smoke filled his lungs. A lot of smoke.

Alarmed, Scott tried to sit up again, but Allison kept him in place with ease. "We need to get out of here, Allison," he said urgently. "We have to get up, let's go."

Allison didn't answer him.

Scott was beginning to feel like somewhere was very, very wrong. And not just because the room was filling with smoke. The thick clouds obscured the pale light of the exit sign, plunging Scott into complete darkness.

"Allison!" He cried out, trying to push her off him. "Listen to me! There's a fire - we have to get out of the building!"

But it wasn't Allison's voice that issued from the person pinning Scott to the desk.

"I know there's a fire."

It was Peter's voice.

A tide of panic rushed through Scott. "Get... get off... get away from me," he gasped breathlessly, coughing on the thick smoke.

Peter held Scott in place, sitting astride the boy's hips in the utter darkness. "I know better than anyone about the fire, Scott."

Scott cringed as Peter leaned over him, the same way Allison had. Peter's breath was much hotter than Allison's on his skin.

"You were dead - " spluttered Scott. He only remembered all of it now that Peter was there. "Derek killed you!"

Peter trailed his finger down Scott's arm. "I've died many times, Scott. Many, many times. And I always find a way to come back."

"No," gasped Scott, struggling again, and coughing. "No, it's not possible..."

But Peter started exploring Scott's body with his hands, and Scott couldn't move. Despite his best efforts, he was locked in place by Peter's weight.

Peter's broad palms brushed over Scott's chest, his sides, his collarbone, his neck, and down to his navel, slipping past his hips.

"No," muttered Scott. Desperation and disbelief clouded his mind. "Let me... let me up - " Scott groaned in pain when Peter's hand roughly gripped his erection through his jeans. "No, stop - stop, stop -" Scott banged his head backward against the hardwood desk. "Stop!" He cried out fearfully.

"Don't fight it anymore, Scott..."

"No - don't! Please - "

"Scott!"

Scott groaned in fear and defeat, unable to budge Peter from on top of him. "Please don't..." he gasped out, tears squeezing through his eyelids.

"Scott! Wake up!"

There was nothing Scott could do. He was completely helpless.

Then something struck the side of his face, hard. Everything seemed to rush away from him; the room, the darkness, and Peter.

Scott opened his eyes.

**...**

Scott lay on his back with the blankets twisted around him. His skin was covered in a sheen of sweat, and he tossed his head back and forth, muttering incoherently. Derek hovered near the bed, unsure if he should wake him. What if Scott shifted in his sleep, and escaped through the window?

"Hey," said Derek in a hushed whisper. He walked closer to the side of the bed.

Scott's head tossed in the other direction. He muttered something that sounded like, "No, it's not possible..." before letting out a string of muffled mutterings.

Derek sat down on the edge of the bed, glancing around the room, and back at Scott. He wasn't sure what to do.

Scott tossed back and forth a few more times. Suddenly he started thrashing, and yanking at the blanket that was twisted around his waist. "Stop," Scott murmured, "Stop, stop! Stop!"

Derek's head whipped around and he stared down at Scott. He got up on his knee on the mattress and leaned closer, gripping Scott's shoulders. "Scott!"

Derek tried to restrain him, but Scott fought his hold.

"No - don't! Please -"

Derek shook him a little by the shoulders. "Scott! Wake up!"

Distress contorted Scott's sleeping features. "Please don't..." he shuddered out. His eyes rolled wildly behind his lids.

Derek's eyes were wide and tense. Without thinking twice, he backhanded Scott across the cheek.

Then Scott's eyes flew open.

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**Hurt/comfort coming up for poor Scott! Hurt/comfort alert!**


	8. Control

**Chapter Eight**

**"Control"**

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Scott shot up in bed, his eyes wild. His irises glowed intermittently and he grabbed hold of Derek's jacket to push him back, clambering to his knees. He was breathing hard, and he didn't seem to recognize Derek at all.

It was a lot like the way Scott had looked in the Hale house basement, right before he had collapsed from blood loss.

Derek only allowed Scott to push him a short distance away. He kept his hands on Scott's shoulders to restrain him. "Scott, it's me," he said insistently.

Scott's breaths slowed as he settled a little further into the waking world. He didn't answer Derek, or release Derek's jacket from his clenched fists. He stared unseeingly at the empty air between them.

Derek clasped Scott's shoulders a little tighter. "You were dreaming."

_Was I...?_

Scott's heart pounded painfully in his chest and he still didn't meet Derek's gaze. His eyes felt hot, shining with held-back tears.

As Scott gripped Derek's jacket, his arms began to tremble. He finally raised his head and looked at the alpha.

Derek saw reality coming back to the young beta's eyes, and it wasn't good. Scott started to breathe harder, his brows drawn together, and his eyes starting to glow. But he didn't shift or lose control, at least not in the sense Derek expected.

Scott took two deep, shuddering breaths. He took another shaking breath and his shoulders hitched. A low sound came from his throat, a choked off cry, and his fingers loosened in Derek's jacket.

But the second before Scott let go, Derek pulled him forward, wrapping his arms around Scott's shoulders. He pulled Scott's head against his chest and gripped him there tightly, his other arm circling around the boy's back.

Scott's face pressed against the black leather of Derek's jacket. Once the dam broke and the tears started flooding, his shoulders shook violently with silent sobs.

The silent cries of anger that wracked Scott's body lit a burning fire in Derek's chest. Long before then, Derek had known Scott needed to do more healing. But especially then, as he held Scott tightly, Derek had no idea how to help with it.

So he didn't say anything at first. He kept a firm arm around Scott's back and just tried to steady him.

After a few moments, Scott seemed to come to his senses a little. He choked down his sobs as he squirmed out of Derek's grip and sat back.

Derek tried to get a good look at his face, but Scott turned and swung his legs over the side of the bed. The boy leaned forward a little, his face obscured from Derek's view by his dark hair. Derek knew he was trying to get control of himself.

Slowly, Scott's shoulders grew still and his breathing calmed. He pulled the collar of his t-shirt up over his chin to dry his eyes, exposing his midriff, and Derek saw that his worst injuries were finally healing into scars.

Derek lowered down to sit on the edge of the bed beside him. He didn't know what to say, and he worried anything he did say would make things worse. He looked sideways at Scott, though he still couldn't see the boy's face. "You okay?" He said, low and quiet.

Scott waited a beat and then nodded. "Yeah." He wiped his face some more with the back of his hand. Then he sat up a little straighter and glanced at Derek. "Yeah. I didn't mean to... that wasn't..." He trailed off, unable to find the right words.

Derek gave him a quick once-over. The kid looked bad... there was darkness under his eyes, and his neck shone with sweat that had drenched the front of his t-shirt.

Scott was not okay, and Derek knew what he had been dreaming about. "Your dream," he began, only wanting to offer a listening ear, but Scott interrupted him.

"It was just a dream. People have dreams - people have nightmares," muttered Scott. Then he frowned, and looked at Derek in confusion. "What are you doing in my room?"

Derek hesitated. He didn't want Scott to know what he had been up to, so his expression grew a little more stern. "I came to talk you about the Argents."

Scott cast a suffering look in Derek's direction. "You came to my room in the middle of the night to lecture me about Allison's family?"

"No," said Derek, shaking his head. "To warn you about Allison."

Scott exhaled in mild frustration, finally beginning to fully recover from his unwanted emotions. "Why didn't you lecture me yesterday?"

"Because Stiles was there. Listen to me, Scott. You can't trust her anymore."

Scott fixed Derek with an unfaltering stare. "I trust Allison."

"But you shouldn't," pressed Derek. "Now that her family knows what you are, there's no telling how much Allison really knows."

"I wanted to tell her about it anyway," said Scott with unfailing stubbornness. "I just couldn't figure out how."

Derek's eye contact was piercing, but Scott held his gaze without wavering.

"I trust her, Derek," he said again.

Derek breathed a few centering breaths as he watched the beta. Finally, he raised his eyebrows and dropped them back down. "Just be careful, Scott. The full moon is coming, and Kate Argent is in town. She doesn't follow a code... She's dangerous. She could easily fix something to turn Allison against you, and if your guard's not up when that happens, it won't be good for you."

Scott didn't answer right away. Then after a moment, he turned slightly to face Derek more. "I'm not part of your pack," he told Derek quietly. "You don't have to look out for me. I can do it myself."

Derek wanted to argue. He wanted to make Scott understand the precariousness of the situation. But something told him... now was not the time.

Fighting back his many replies, he gave a heavy shrug. "Alright." And then he stood up, as if to take his leave.

Scott looked up at him questioningly.

Derek explained, "It's late, I should probably..." he started to walk toward the window, feeling low.

Scott stood up. "Wait," he said quickly.

Derek turned halfway back and paused expectantly.

Suddenly Scott felt awkward. He rubbed the back of his head with his hand and shrugged his other shoulder.

Derek turned fully back around to look at Scott. There was a searching quality in the way he studied Scott's face.

Finally Scott found the words. "It's late and you live far," he said, walking over to the closet. He dug around for a minute, then pulled out a narrow, rolled-up mattress. He turned back around and showed Derek.

Derek hesitated a long moment, looking at the mattress. He knew Scott didn't want to be alone. He could see right through any façade that Scott put up. And he would have ended up on the roof for the rest of the night anyway...

Finally Derek gave a small nod and held out a hand.

Scott tossed him the mattress, and Derek caught it. He unrolled it and lay it flat on the floor, a few meters from the base of the bed. Scott threw a blanket and a pillow in his direction, too. Derek lay down on his back and covered himself with the blanket. He was near the window, and he could look out and see the moon. He didn't plan to sleep a wink.

Scott got back into bed. He feigned going to sleep, but Derek knew he was wide awake by listening to the sounds of his unsteady heartbeat.

Derek listened to Scott's breathing, and watched the bright moon through the window until it passed beyond the edge of the window frame.

**.**

**.**

**.**

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Scott, you should be awake by now!"

Scott jerked awake and sat up in bed. Derek made a similar movement of surprise from the mattress on the floor.

Apparently they had both fallen asleep.

The door banged open and Melissa McCall barged in, wearing pink nurse scrubs and carrying a laundry basket.

"Mom - " protested Scott.

"I'm sorry, honey, but you told me never to let you sleep past..." Melissa stopped talking as her eyes fell on Derek, who got hastily to his feet. His blanket dropped off of him and crumpled to the floor in a heap.

Scott also scrambled to his feet. "Mom - you can't bust in like that!"

But Melissa was impervious to his protests. "Who's this?" She asked sweetly, still looking at Derek with the air of a woman who would rather not know.

Derek offered his best attempt at a smile on short notice. "Hi, I'm sorry. I'm - "

"That's Stiles's cousin," interrupted Scott, walking over to stand beside Derek. "Mick - Mick - Miguel."

Derek tried to hide the dryness of his smile when he was introduced. He nodded his head respectfully toward Scott's mom.

"Oh," said Melissa with more sweetness. "And what is McMiguel doing on your floor?"

Scott spoke before Derek could try to answer. "His, uh - his car broke down, the, uh, I don't know, but there was a lot of - crap - leaking everywhere, and it was late. They towed the car and this was the closest place he could crash."

Melissa regarded her son for a moment more. No one was under the impression that she swallowed his story, but she gave a nod and turned, leaving the room. "I'm late for work!" She called from the hallway. "And you'll be late for school if you don't get your butt in gear!"

They heard her go down the stairs, and her foot steps receded further into the house.

Derek turned toward Scott, looking dryly amused. "You're the worst liar I've ever met."

Scott gave him a pained look. "It's not like I could tell her who you really are! I'm not supposed to know you, remember?"

For a moment, things seemed almost back to normal between the two of them. But it was fleeting.

Scott turned away and started gathering his clothes and his books. "I'm late... I forgot to set the alarm," he said, pulling on a clean sweatshirt.

Derek nodded his head. "Yeah," he answered distractedly. He waited until Scott turned back around with his backpack on his arm to speak again. "You think you're going to control yourself today?"

Scott avoided eye contact as he headed for the bedroom door. "I'm fine, Derek. I'm in control." He walked out without another word, but then reappeared to look back in at Derek. "Are you going to hang around my room all day?"

Derek made his way over to the window. "Go to school, Scott," he said firmly. He lifted himself through the window, and Scott heard him drop to the ground below.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Kate Argent sat in her vehicle on a quiet street in Beacon Hills. The McCall residence was a few houses down from where she was parked, and she had deliberately chosen to camp out between a few vehicles similar to her own. She was on a mission.

First she needed Derek. Then she needed the beta. She needed them both.

**.**

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**I hope you're enjoying it! If you leave a review, then I get to know for sure :P**


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